Iraq’s Anti-Terror Success to Give Rise to Karbala Pilgrims: Official

Governor of Iraq's Karbala said he expects a rise in the number of this year’s pilgrims who travel to the holy city to perform mourning rituals, relating it to the recent successful military operations conducted by the Iraqi security forces against militants.

Al-Masala website quoted Karbala Governor Aqil al-Turaihi as saying that the Iraqi forces’ success in regaining control of Jurf al-Sakhar near Baghdad from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group and cleansing the area of militants would encourage a larger number of people to travel to Karbala this year for mourning ceremonies in commemoration of Shiite Imam Hossein (PBUH).Turaihi also unveiled plans to ensure security in the holy city and offer better services to the pilgrims.“This year, we have employed popular forces to provide security of the ceremonies,” he added.Each year, Shiite Muslims hold mourning services for ten days to mark the martyrdom of Imam Hossein, grandson of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).The mourning rituals, which start with the Islamic lunar month of Muharram (begins on October 26 this year), are more magnificent in Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein is located.This year’s religious ceremonies come after the Iraqi government forces last week seized control of the strategic town of Jurf al-Sakhar after months of fighting against the ISIL terrorists determined to march on the capital.